1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of packaging and, in particular, to packaging, systems and processes capable of hydrating contents of a package or exchanging fluids within the package while, in some embodiments, maintaining a sterile environment within the package.
2. Description of Related Art
Many devices in the sensing arts and other areas of technology require hydration for proper operation. Although such devices may be stored in a dehydrated state for a variety of reasons, hydration is required to effectively utilize the devices.
Some applications also require that sensors be sterilized, such as, for example, an in vivo biological parameter sensor. Traditionally, the combination of hydrating and sterilizing an in vivo biological parameter sensor has been troublesome. Sterilization of in vivo biological parameter sensors is frequently accomplished by exposure of the sensor to ethylene oxide (EtO) gas. However, if a sensor has been hydrated and is then sterilized using EtO, exposure of the hydrate to EtO could cause the hydrate to become toxic, which, in turn, would cause the sensor to become toxic and would render it unsuitable for in vivo implantation. Thus, hydration and sterilization have traditionally been at odds with each other.
Other applications require that a sensor or other device requiring hydration for activation be hydrated by the sensor manufacturer. Because state of the art sensor technology may place too great a demand on the capabilities of an end user to effectively hydrate a sensor, sensor hydration is best accomplished by the manufacturer having sophisticated capabilities. However, many devices tend to lose shelf life once hydration has been effected. For those devices that have been hydrated and then sit on the shelf of the end user for an extended period of time before use, the effective life of the device may be limited or even over by the time the device is utilized.
Accordingly, there is a need in industry to provide a system for hydrating sterilized devices without compromising the integrity of the sterilization. There is also a need in industry to provide a system for hydrating devices that allows for maximum shelf life of the device. The present invention satisfies these needs.